Thankfulness

“The first official, annual Thanksgiving in Canada was celebrated on 6 November 1879, though Indigenous peoples in Canada have a history of celebrating the fall harvest that predates the arrival of European settlers.” ( to read more- visit Canadian Encyclopedia).

Reflecting on history and our traditions, there are beautiful symbolisms within the Thanksgiving holidays and warped versions as well. I choose to focus on the good parts and learn from the bad. I love gathering- decorating for the season- going for walks in the fall leaves crinkling beneath my runners (or “Tennies/ tennis shoes for my friends in the US). And ya, even working tirelessly in the kitchen to prepare the family feast heightens my joy factor. Not that I am an amazing cook or anything. I think the ‘feast’ symbolizes to me deep upon deep the message of abundance, flourishing and being fed in more ways than one.

Yet Still… Many of Us Don’t FEEL Thankful Right Now.

In our humanity, it seems easier to gravitate towards being ungrateful, or forget what to be thankful for given the pandemic challenges and worldwide catastrophes that we are exposed to through the world wide web. PLUS, I need not remind you of ALL the personal challenges or conflicts we are facing ourselves on any given day. Extreme negativity, harbouring a critical spirit and constant finger pointing never breeds a thankful heart. I don’t know about you, but I often have to do something intentional in the “physical realm” in order to bring about the fruit of joy, peace, love, i.e. gratefulness and thankfulness within my own soul. (Journaling, writing down specific things, people etc I am thankful for, bringing to remembrance of times I seen the hand of God in my life, cranking up songs that evoke gratefulness, cuddling with my fall “Thankful” pillow, lighting a candle, saying a prayer or simply practicing gratitude with others where able. I continue to learn how we can experience the blessings of a thankful heart no matter what life throws us ion our journey.

The word of God reminds us to “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” as noted throughout scripture including 1 Chronicles 16:34. Questions I continue to ask myself today and most days to keep my heart in check include:

What can I be grateful for today?
How can I express my thanks to the Lord, my God- Creator of heaven and earth who knows me so intricately and desires to hear from me?
Do I know deep within me that God is good? (If so, pray out how I know God’s character has been proven in my life and in the world around me. If I am struggling with God’s goodness for whatever reason, I challenge myself to be honest with what I am feeling with God and others.)
Am I “rooted “in God’s love so I can actually “overflow with thankfulness” today, this hour, this minute? (Colossians 2:6)
Do I live for eternity, knowing God’s love endures throughout the generations? If not, praying for an eternal perspective on my current situation, or the issues of the world that are heavy on my heart.

Brokenness

We are created to reflect the image of God and to walk in wholeness. Yet, we live in a broken world as a result of the fall and sins impact on humanity and all of creation. If we are honest, most don’t like to (or wants to admit) they are broken. We like to hide behind many “masks” and pretend all is well. Ever catch yourself say “Hey, how are you” and on those days you automatically say “I’m fine”, when you really aren’t?

Brokenness is often seen or described as “having been fractured or damaged and no longer in one piece or in working order” (Dictionary.com) OR of having given up all hope; despairing.”

“The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”

— Pslam 51:17 NLT

The Bible trumps the dictionary. There is purpose in brokenness. I know that because the Word says so, but I believe it deeply because I have experienced brokenness in various forms. I’ve seen the redemptive, healing, restorative aspect to brokenness. I’ve seen answers to prayer through brokenness . For those causes or issues to life that I haven’t seen resolution, reconciliation or restoration, I know that it will be fully restored in heaven according to the promises of God.

It’s quite OK to admit you are broken. Psalm 51:17 speaks of how the Creator of this world desires to reach us, speak to us , move in us as our hearts breaks for what breaks the heart of God. Brokenness, in God’s eyes, is being so crushed by the sin and darkness of the world that we recognize there is no place to turn but to God.” (Chord of 3) .

This morning, Tim and I stayed home and watched our local church service online as I was still battling the tail end of a cold and thought to chillax today. As much as I wanted to be there in person, I am grateful to view and engage in the message in the comforts of home. You see, today was Pastor Bruce Enns very last day/ or this week as our lead pastor of Forest Grove Community Church. I have been attending there since around 1993 through the Tuesday morning Moms Morning Out Ministry after the birth of our daughter Jaclyn and then switched churches from our familiar denominations of our formative years. We began attending there on Sundays with our growing family as they had so much to offer with childcare and great programs for preschoolers. Tim and I became “official members” there on Easter Sunday 2000. Ironically, we began attending there when the church didn’t have a lead pastor per-say as they were also in transition at the time from a long time serving pastor back then. Pastor Harry and Judy Strauss soon became the lead pastor couple for a season and Bruce and Lisa Enns were just moving back to Saskatoon to begin their journey as the pastor of the Young Adult ministry at first. His second assignment there, he was commissioned to step into the lead pastor role and has impacted our church and community in many positive ways since. His resignation came as a shock to me when he announced it this summer. I am not alone in this. As the Strauss’s leadership, mentorship and friendship have impacted me and our family greatly, I too have appreciated Bruce’s leadership style filled with integrity, courage, passion for community impact- unity and personal transformation. Likewise, we have a long history with the Enns family through the highs and lows, joys and sorrows of life. As a result of his resignation, I have spent some time in lament, grief and deep sadness this summer of the reasonings behind his resignation. (as explained in FGCC entry posts noted below in the various links).

SIde note: Bruces resignation and his own brush with church conflict, a“wrestling with God “ season amidst personal brokenness and a bit of burn out , reminded me of my own journey. I have faced my own difficult resignations and leadership transitions within two orgs I founded over the last 20 years. I continue to learn to give it over to the Lord and give thanks for all that He is in our lives. ..What God has done, what Jesus is doing in our culture today, and what the Holy Spirit is about to do in our lifetime. Can I hear an AMEN? (FYI Amen= Surely, Truly, So be it, or Let it be done).

“There CAN be beauty amidst brokenness”

This mornings message was an unexpected blessing and so very special to me personally. In a recent prayer time, I had been reminded of the time where I attended a leadership training day at the church years ago where Pastor Bruce had led in one of the sessions. He utilized the imagery of earthy coloured tiles that were broken in front of us , and we were invited to create a work of art out of those broken pieces. He ended up grouting the pieces together and then hung them in his office as a reminder of that message that day. I prayed through that back then when he shared it and it affected me profoundly as a result. As that experience came to mind this past week, that message is just as pertinent today as it was back then. For us individually, for our local church going through this difficult time of transition, but also for our world. There CAN be beauty amidst brokenness. Actually, there can be an even more beautiful picture revealed to us through or after the pain, sorrow and dysfunction of our messes in life as we allow the Light of God to shine brightly through the broken pieces of our lives.

How incredible then to turn on the online service this morning over a cup of coffee with my husband to see Bruce walk on stage alongside those very same broken tile pieces in the two frames that have been adorning his office for the last 15 years. God is so personal. God is a creative God. God is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the end. I don’t know what the future holds for churches like FGCC as I am sensing that most faith communities are going through their own “reset. In my faith journey, I’ve seen many Pastors come and go. and leaders shifting to new assignments. Sure keeps us humble as to remind ourselves to truly depend on God and not be to overly dependent (and dare I say for some- codependent) on people, programs or systems rather than depending more fully on God. A secret to navigating through the messiness of life (including “church life”) is to get to know God personally more and more each day. I believe God has a plan, especially during this pandemic. He wants to get our attention to press into His will, His kingdom’s plans that will guide us, renew us, restore us now and into eternity.. I believe that starts with a heart of gratitude. This leads to praise, adoration for who God is and what He has done in our midst since the creation of time. How or why do we become ungrateful, grumbling, critical, finger pointing people with hearts of stone? I’ve found that t it’s our own sin or the enemy of our soul that wants to keep our eyes off of God and onto ourselves or our circumstances. Our story matters, but until we revisit or perhaps learn for the first time- that HIS Story should be the foundation for how we live our lives.

His Story Line, from Creation to Eternity

Thought to share that special moment with you regarding the message of the mosaic. God sees the Big picture, His Story Line, from Creation to Eternity:

Creation- Brokenness- Promise-Law- Rebellion (Judgement and Grace) - Incarnation/ Promise Fulfilled, -Spirit (and the Church)- Eternity.

Nothing else makes sense in this ever changing world. God is unchanging. I’ve been gravitating towards studying Biblical prophecy more- and as I do, I have more peace knowing GOD is in control and he has given us his blueprint for life in His word. God’s restoration plan is my favourite story to tell. Believe me. No, believe the God who made you, sees you, hears you. God understands our brokenness. Looking forward to the rest of the series “Story Line From Creation to Eternity” that others will unpack in the coming weeks. Bruce kicked it off today starting with Creation. I encourage you to give it a listen, his half hour sermon/ message starts at about 29 minutes into the 90 minute service, his last sermon at FGCC this morning.

Peace to you this Thanksgiving Season Amidst Life’s Brokenness

May you press into the promises of God no matter where you or your loved ones are at today. It is so key to understand God’s story as outlined in scripture in order to make sense of our own stories. We wouldn’t be human if we didn’t experience brokenness directly and indirectly. Bruces 21 years of leadership at FGCC speaks volumes to my heart today of navigating these tensions with thankfulness and grace.

FGCC Resources re: to Bruce Enns Resignation from FGCC Saskatoon, SK

Blog Post on Leadership Transition: To give context for Bruce’s Resignation

Bruce and Lisa’s Farewell Celebration October 17th, 2021

A Word from the Denominational Director Phil Guenther

Bruce and Lisa Ens have been a longtime pastor couple of my home church here in Saskatoon. First as pastors of the Young Adults ministry and then appointed to lead pastor with their 20+years in serve at FGCC. As the above links share some context for Bruce’s resignation, council’s response, there is also a link to mark this time of transition for them. This of course leaves the church in a time of transition. If you have read this far, I encourage you to keep them and this church in prayer. (Update: As of May 2022, Bruce is now serving as the General Director at Multiply! Click here to learn more)

I appreciated the words shared by denominational leader Phil Guenther as to the need to give thanks for leaders in times of transitions to take the time to mourn and process well together and with the Lord. He quoted Cam Taylor of the book “Between Pastors: “times of transitions are windows of opportunities. For congregations that seize the opportunity, they can be a transformational turning point toward greater health and greater mission effectiveness.”-

“ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

— Colossians 2:6 NIV

Resources on Thanksgiving

9 Ways to Give Thanks This Year- Glamping Hub

How to Keep Thanks in Thanksgiving When You are Not Feeling Thankful- CBC

Beautiful Thanksgiving Prayers of Blessing Amidst Covid - Bible Study Tools

Resources on Brokenness

What is Brokenness- Cord of 3 Counseling Services

Hope for the Heart and Free Downloads on various topics

October 17th message on “Brokenness” with Maureen Brown at FGCC (See link/ video below)